John Travolta's B-707

[Lear70]

First, he's an a*s. Watched him come into BNA one day and was just a pr*ck to the line guys who were nothing but polite. Reminded me of watching Martha Stewart or Hillary Clinton - friendly if there's cameras, but if there's not and you *work* for him, you're a pee-on as far as he's concerned. (Yet another reason I don't want to fly charter or fractional again, I don't do people with attitudes, but I digress.)

Second, that's part of the neighbor's complaint - he's tearing up the runway and taxiways - it's not constructed to take that kind of weight on a daily basis. So they got together and hired a crew to put in a displaced threshold... just LESS than the required runway for him to operate the 707 in and out.

So he sued his neighbors and notified the FAA that they had illegally changed the runway without proper notification, creating a safety hazard for anyone who tried to land there and hadn't "heard" they'd done it (no official change to the runway length in the FAA database, therefore no Notams, etc).

People who live at a fly-in community expect a certain level of airplane noise. I don't think a 707 qualifies as a "normal" fly-in community aircraft... I'd probably be pretty ticked off, too.

 

[mach zero]

"it has what is called pure turbojet engines vs any kind of turbofan jet engine."

Actually, his airplane does not have pure turbojet engines. His airplane has low-bypass-ratio turbofans... not that they're that much quieter than pure turbojet engines.

I think his airplane has Pratt and Whitney JT3D (stage 2) engines, which are a turbofan variant of the pure turbojet JT3C.

If you look closely, his JT-3D's have had the hushkits installed. I believe they are the ones made by Comtran. You can tell by the extended fan case which goes back further on the nacelle than normal. It may make it barely stage III compliant. If I was JT I would have found a way to waiver the old JT3-C6 or 7's or JT-4A's to it. Those are the pure jet engines and the way a 707 should be heard IMHO. They are really spectacular with water injection on and max takeoff thrust set.

I would love the opportunity to hear an old 707 fly these days. There aren't but a handful left and they burn so much gas, they won't be around that much longer. It is my favorite airplane and a very important one in terms of airline history. His neighbors are a$$es if you ask me. We used to live near Carswell AFB when I was little and the KC-135A's, B-52's, and F-4's put everything else to shame when it came to noise. Nothing like an old SAC practice alert launch at 0530 but we never said a word about the noise. In fact, I loved it!

 

[HalinTexas]

If you're going to buy cheap, I'd rather have a B72. If you want classic airline romance, buy a Connie. If you want to fly to just about anywhere in style and comfort, fly a GV or a BBJ. Cheap bastard.

 

[Sonny Crockett]

I was'nt going to respond but some of you are WAY-OFF on your "facts"

Google "JUMBOLAIR"

Read all about the poor 70's super model who divorced her hubby and she developed the airpark. problem was an older gentlemen owned a grass runway that crossed the paved runway.

"She" assumed that is would be "ok" for her to sell the lots and runway use, when in fact she didn't have all her ducks in a row....and the old guy cannot be bought too easily.

P.S. I live in a fly-in community in Ocala.

 

[On Your Six]

He's a good dancer but his recent movies SUCK. I hear he is getting an Eclipse to add to his stable of airplanes.

 

[Limeyflyer]

heard he had the eclipse already

 

[SEVEN]

N707JT www.flightaware.com

 

['72Gremlin]

N707JT www.flightaware.com

Pretty cool site...

 

[TinGoose1]

I wonder if he flies in his custom Capt. costume in the Eclipse? I saw a picture of him years ago in front of his 707 in his British Airways knock-off uniform. The fact that he was so serious made it even funnier.

-TG

 

[Sinca3]

The 707 is in KSWF. Just taxied right by it about 3 hrs ago!
As for the complaining......wasn't he one of the first residence at Jumbolair?